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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Spring Practice Report 04.06
4/7/2010 | Football
With temperatures hovering around 80 degrees, the squad labored for two and a half hours in full pads, and the workouts are featuring more and more full team situational drills.
With head coach Houston Nutt departing practice slightly early to speak at an alumni meeting in Batesville, Miss., co-offensive coordinator Mike Markuson visited with the media and provided some insight on how the staff is trying to generate swagger with the young offensive linemen.
"As coaches, you have to help provide (confidence)," he said. "You have to instill it in them. Some guys are naturally quiet. Usually the guys that are doing a good job on a daily basis, the others players recognize that player, and sometimes he becomes that leader. As coaches, we're trying instill in them to stay positive and keep working."
One lineman that is emerging as a potential leader in the offensive front is junior guard Rishaw Johnson. The Hammond, La., native started four games at right guard in 2009.
"He's done a lot of good things," Markuson said. "He is such as an athlete. He's physical. He's getting better at his assignments. That guy is explosive. He could really, really be good if he keeps working on the fundamentals and playing with that intensity. He has great work ethic when he hits the practice field."
Markuson said a key factor for the maturation of the offense is the daily challenge of facing the Rebel defense, which he said could be one of the best the offense sees this year.
"The last few years, no one has been able to run the ball on our defense," said Marksuon. "For the most part, they've stopped the run, and if you stop the run in this league, you're going to get the ball back offensively. They got a lot of guys back, and they got a lot of confidence.
"They're front is good, all really strong-legged guys with good pad-level. They're tough to move. When they get up the field, they're playing with their pads down. They're flying around to the football. The secondary is getting better, so they're doing a lot of good things."
Ole Miss will break from drills on Wednesday and return to the practice fields Thursday at 4 p.m. Spring practices are open to the public, and times and locations will be updated daily on OleMissSports.com and twitter.com/OleMissNow.
Spring drills will conclude with the annual Grove Bowl, April 17 at 1 p.m. at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Other events surrounding the weekend include the Chucky Mullins Courage Award Banquet April 15 at 7 p.m., and the Grove Stage program with Dexter McCluster the morning of the Grove Bowl at 11 a.m.
